The future of climbing Mount Everest is in jeopardy after a deadly avalanche killed at least 13 Sherpa guides, Friday.

A block of ice from the mountain triggered a cascade that ripped through teams of guides hauling gear, the Associated Press reported.

"Right now, I can't even think of going back to the mountain," Tashi Dorje, whose cousin was killed, said. "We have not just lost our family members, but it is a loss for the whole mountaineering community and the country."

There's a call for Sherpas to boycott expeditions up the mountain. Representatives say Nepal's ethnic Sherpa community is weighing the decision.

Many Sherpas rely on leading Everest tours as their main source of income. A high altitude guide can earn around $6,000 during a three-month climbing season. An average person in Nepal earns an annual salary of $700.

Officials say hundreds of people over the years have died trying to reach the summit; a quarter of the deaths were caused by avalanches.